English lessons help couple from Hong Kong build confidence and communicate with local people

Rebecca and Dixon in front of their stall in Greenwich market

Dixon and Rebecca had long professional careers in Hong Kong but when they moved to the UK on the BN(O) visa a year ago, joining their son who was already settled in London, their standard of spoken English was holding them back from re-entering the workplace and making friends. 

For decades, Dixon led interior fitting projects for businesses and his wife Rebecca was focused on her role in finance at an International NGO. However, for their first few months living in England, they did not feel comfortable and were hesitant to communicate with local people – so they mainly stayed at home or visited their son.  Dixon applied for jobs in the industry he had worked in for his entire career but heard nothing back in response to his letters. 

Dixon says:

“We had some difficulties when we came in the first, the second and the third months. The language is not fluent to communicate with the local people. We only stay at home and do some things like the paper lanterns, handling banking and household matters. We seldom participate in the society.   So after I have a chance to start to learn English in the Light Foundations we are happy and we attend the lessons immediately. So now the communication is better we can enjoy the life in the UK, make friends and new life in the market.  We have social activity in the society.”

Gaining the opportunity to go to regular English tutoring lessons organised by a local social enterprise, Light Foundations, was a turning point for Dixon and Rebecca. It is one of over forty projects that are part of a UK- wide, Government funded programme to ensure that grassroots groups can meet the needs of local Hong Kongers arriving in their communities. 

The couple both embraced the course and started to attend two sessions a week. They also took part in career guidance and skills workshops provided by Light Foundations. As their confidence in their English abilities and understanding of how things worked here grew, they felt able to consider their next steps and Dixon revived a previous business idea that he had considered whilst back in Hong Kong. Together, they set up a business selling DIY table lamps, and since November have become market traders at Greenwich Market.

Rebecca says:

“When we see people like the product and they smile and are happy we are happy also. Even sometimes if they didn’t buy we are still happy. Because Dixon has changed his career we have built confidence by hearing people like his product and design. He thinks to create other products too. We are very happy also. In Hong Kong I was busy in work and seldom had time to go together so this chance to work together is special. Being a team and working together we are very happy.” 

As well as selling their product, the design for which was inspired by Dixon’s wish to preserve some of the Hong Kong culture and practices, working in the market has given the couple the opportunity to regularly speak English to customers and other traders. They are feeling positive and happy about their future here in the UK, cherish the increased time that they now spend together and look forward to pursuing many ambitions as they continue to settle into life here. 

Rebecca adds:

“Light Foundations helped me very much. In HK I was mostly writing English but listening and speaking was weak. The English course gave me chance to practise. The tutor is very good and we have been given the chance to learn together.”

Jolly Lau of Light Foundations says:

“We feel that it is important for new people arriving from Hong Kong, like Dixon and Rebecca, to really use the English language to allow them to navigate into the community, into the UK environment. They are all skilled talented people – without the language they might be hindered.”

About Light Foundations

Light Foundations provides qualification training, mentorship and other professional skills development programmes for the local community in London, with an aim to reduce social isolation and long-term unemployment. Clients are given skills training, workshops and development opportunities, IT skills and ESOL Skills for Life as well as accredited qualifications.

About the Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers and the government’s Welcome Programme

The Welcoming Committee for Hong Kongers has been set up in response to the BN(O) visa scheme. It brings together the ‘welcomers’ and the ‘welcomed’ and helps coordinate efforts across the UK’s nations and regions from civil society, communities, business, education and government to support Hong Kongers to settle in the UK. It also conducts research to inform policy, share best practice and support organisations to make their voices heard. The Welcoming Committee is hosted at independent think tank British Future, which works for a confident and inclusive Britain, welcoming and fair to all.

Through the Welcome Programme, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities is providing funding to 42 locally based organisations around the UK to ensure that local grass roots community groups can meet the needs of the local Hong Kongers in the communities where they are based.